Data Architect and DBA

Job Title: Data Architect / SQL Database Administrator

ONSITE Downtown, Richmond, VA (1 day remote) 

Location: Richmond, VA (On-site with 1 day hybrid)
Department: Information Technology / Data & Reporting
Employment Type: Full-Time (3 month to hire)

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly skilled Data Architect / SQL DBA to define, build, and own our enterprise data architecture and database administration functions. This is a foundational role – the first position dedicated to owning and organizing data, ensuring it is reliable, discoverable, well-documented, and accessible for reporting and analytics. You will be responsible for establishing best practices for data governance, architecture, and database operations, while working closely with business stakeholders, analysts, developers, and leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Data Architecture & Strategy
• • Lead the design and implementation of a scalable data architecture that integrates data across applications, systems, and business units.
  • Develop and maintain data models (conceptual, logical, physical) and data dictionaries to ensure consistent definitions across the organization.
  • Drive data governance practices to improve data quality, lineage, documentation, and discoverability in a growing environment.
  • Evaluate and recommend tools and technologies to support data cataloging, master data management (MDM), and self-service analytics.
• Database Administration & Operations
• • Administer, monitor, and optimize Microsoft SQL Server databases for performance, security, backups, high availability, and disaster recovery.
  • Manage and improve SQL Server environments, including version upgrades, patching, and infrastructure configurations.
  • Develop and maintain automated maintenance plans, index optimizations, and performance-tuning strategies.
• ETL & Reporting Support
• • Design, develop, and maintain ETL processes using SSIS to load, transform, and consolidate data from disparate sources.
  • Build, optimize, and support reporting solutions via SSRS and partner with BI/reporting teams on reporting needs.
  • Troubleshoot production data issues, resolve incidents, and support business reporting and analytics needs.
• Data Quality & Documentation
• • Establish processes for data validation, quality checks, change control, and data lifecycle management.
  • Create and maintain documentation for databases, ETL processes, data mappings, and architecture diagrams.
  • Act as the primary contact for data inquiries, source identification, and support business users in finding and understanding data.
• Collaboration & Leadership
• • Partner with application owners, developers, and end-users to understand business requirements and translate them into robust data solutions.
  • Serve as the data subject matter expert (“data owner”) for the organization, advocating for data best practices and training cross-functional teams.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Management, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7–10 years of experience in database administration, data architecture, or related roles.
• Strong expertise with Azure cloud services (especially Azure SQL/Managed Instances, Data Factory or related services).
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft SQL Server, including T-SQL, performance tuning, availability groups, backups, security, and monitoring.
• Solid experience building and maintaining SSIS ETL packages and SSRS reports.
• Experience with data modeling, schema design, and implementing data governance practices.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.

Preferred / Nice-to-Have Skills

• Familiarity with data catalog tools, MDM principles, and self-service analytics.
• Experience with Azure DevOps or CI/CD pipelines for database deployments.
• Exposure to business intelligence tools (Power BI, Azure Synapse, etc.).
• Knowledge of master data management and metadata management concepts.